Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself.
I am a Licensed Massage Therapist and Artist who merges my life experience and training in different approaches, dimensions and modalities to create an effective treatment space to meet my clients where they are.
In my youth I was drawn to the wild and the animals there. Over time the animals become some of my greatest teachers. I spent 16 years working with wildlife and learning their behaviors, body systems, health requirements and customs. The wisdom they shared with me has become a way of life for me, a way of seeing the world. It didn’t take long for me to make the jump from wildlife into the habitat in which they dwell. Mother Earth has always been my healing space and in time she began to teach me how to help not only myself heal, but how to help others as well. After working in the zoological and environmental conservation fields and advocating for the health of the planet I began a different journey of healing. This time I had to advocate for my own health spiritually, emotionally and physically as I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. This challenge brought me back to my roots, to myself, to my indigenous heritage and to a man with great healing ability who is known by many names. He is a traditional healer, Medicine man, shaman, therapist, councilor, visioner, sweat lodge conductor, Ogichidaa and so many other titles that would apply to him. However, if you ask him, he would tell you that his name is Donnie and that that is enough. Ozaawi Aanakwad’s passion for all living things and drive to help in any way he can matches mine and we made a good team. For several years I was blessed with the opportunity to learn from him and travel around Michigan and the surrounding areas assisting in community behavioral health. This passion continues to drive me to seek out traditional practitioners from different places around the world and not only receive healing from them, but also in the pursuit of learning from them.
While in recovery from my mastectomy and at the urging of one of my best friends we set out to Hawaii to do just that. It was there that I found my love for Lomi Lomi massage and talk story. A family healing technique unique to the islands. On my first visit there I was pulled by my heart to receive Lomi Lomi training which introduced me to the tradition and lineage lines from which Jeana Iwalani Naluai had learned. I was surprised to find that the stories they told me had been stories I had told to others in my life time without having ever been to the islands. So, I returned to the islands a second time for a more intensive Lomi Lomi training which included some plant medicine and other specialized techniques.
Upon my return I promptly found the Institute for Massage Education also known as the Kalamazoo Center for the Healing Arts and enrolled. That program taught me even more technique and modalities. Therapeutic massage, acupressure, cranial sacral therapy, myofascial techniques and more. All of these elements come together to create integrative sessions specifically tailored to each client.
It is truly an honor to be able to share with you that, which I have learned so far on my journey. It is my hope that through genuine intuitive body work, cleansing and plant medicine we are able to bring healing to the Earth body, the Mind, the Spirit and the Emotional Body.
With much gratitude and love,
Cortney/Gichi Aanakwadkwe, LMT
